1. Field
The present disclosure relates generally to a manufacturing apparatus and method. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to an apparatus and method for manufacturing wing panels for aircraft and for other applications.
2. Background
Stringers are structural elements which may be attached to skin panels to form wing panels for an aircraft. The stringers provide the wing panels with structural stability and integrity to enable the wing panels to cope with operational loads encountered during flight.
Stringers may be attached to skin panels, for example and without limitation, metallic or composite skin panels, using C-frame machines. C-frame machines, however, are large, bulky structures which are designed to apply relatively large forces and to handle relatively large-sized parts. Current practice may also use FAJ (Floor Assembly Jig) tooling to temporarily locate and tack stringers to skin panels. FAJ tooling, however, is also large and bulky and does not lend itself to agile manufacturing concepts.
In addition, throughput may be severely limited when using C-frame machines to manufacture wing panels because the machines are able to drill and fasten only one hole at a time. Inasmuch as twenty or more stringers may be attached to a single skin panel, the manufacturing process may have less than desirable efficiency.
Therefore, it would be advantageous to have an apparatus and method for manufacturing wing panels for aircraft and for other applications that takes into account one or more of the issues discussed above as well as possibly other issues.